Leah

I'm in that comfortable place between sleeping and awake when a sudden movement in my room causes my eyes to flit open. I sit up and look around, but don't see anything in the darkness. I lean over to flip on the lamp, and when I turn back to the room a large, muscular figure is looming over me. My eyes trail up to his face where his top lip is pulled back in a sneer and his usually dull green eyes are glowing yellow.

Silas.

"Did you miss me, pet?" He spits between gritted teeth. "Surely you didn't think I'd let you go that easily."

I open my mouth to scream, but his hand is faster. He reaches forward and curls his fingers around my neck, tightening until I can barely breathe.

"I wasn't done with you yet, bitch. I never will be." He smirks and leans forward, dipping his face into my neck and smelling me. I can feel my heart beating wildly as my body shakes in fear.

"Oh, Leah." He murmurs. "Leah, Leah, Leah...."

"Leah!" My eyes fling open and I reach up to my neck, taking deep breaths.

"Relax, little one. It was just a nightmare." My eyes focus in on Alex, sitting on my bed next to me with his hands on my shoulders. I reach for him, curling my arms around his neck and tucking my face into his chest.

He lifts me into his lap and rubs my back soothingly as I cry into his shirt, clenching it into tight fists.

"Is he really dead?" I ask through my tears. "Did you see his dead body?" Alex looks at me quizzically.

"Who? Silas?" He asks and I nod as I hiccup on a sob.

"Yes, little one. I saw his dead body. You would have too, if you had been concious." He says with a touch of sadness to his voice. I release my fingers from the death grip they had on his shirt and pull away to look at him.

"What do you mean?"

"When I carried you out, we walked passed the bodies and he was one of them." He says gravely and my eyes peek up to meet his.

"You carried me out?" I ask and he nods.

"Yes. I'm the one that found you in the cells." He explains.

"Is there anyone else from Silas' pack here?" I ask, terrified I might see one of my old tormentors again.

"No." He shakes his head.

"Why not?" I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me. He smiles at me and wipes a stray tear away.

"They stayed in their pack until they chose which of the other two packs to go into. The ones we aligned with to take on Silas. They decided to split up the land and the people between them."

"But you didn't?" He shakes his head and readjusts me a little on his lap so I can rest against him.

"No. I have enough land and people." He says and I nod.

"Well then why'd you bring me back here?" I ask and he sighs heavily. I lean my head to rest on his shoulder, sucking in his warmth to soothe my battered soul.

"The other Alphas they uh... didn't want to deal with the complications of a human." He says and I sit quietly to ponder this until the realization dawns on me.

"They wanted to kill me." I state and he gives me a barely perceptible nod.

"We didn't know who you were or why you were there. There was already a lot to sort out. But I didn't think it was fair to hurt you, especially not knowing the circumstances. I'm glad I didn't let them." He says with a small smile that I do my best to return.

"Would it be bad for you, if the other packs knew that you allowed me to stay?" I ask and he contemplates my question for a few seconds.

"They may think I've gone a little soft, but that's expected when an alpha loses their mate. Well they either go soft or they go insane. I couldn't do that since Julie and I didn't have children, so I have no heir." He explains and I nod.

"I'm glad you didn't kill me too. Even if I'll never be normal again." He sighs again and tightens his arms around me momentarily.

"Give yourself some time. It's only been a few weeks. I still have nightmares sometimes and it's been twenty years."

"About your mate?" I ask and he huffs out a breath before he lowers his face to my neck, taking a deep breath. I still a little and he pulls away suddenly like he was surprised himself at what he was doing.

"Yes. Finding her body. Trying to revive her, the guilt that came with it. They're not as frequent anymore, but they still come. So you are completely normal. You just need to give yourself time to heal." He says softly and I nod, yawning a little. He sets me back on the bed and I scoot up into the pillows.

"Could you stay again?" I ask meekly, entirely embarrassed by my request. Alex smiles and even in the dark I can see a twinkle in those blue eyes.

"Sure. In the chair?" He asks, stretching out his back and grimacing at the stiffness. I look at the clock and realize he held me in that uncomfortable position for over an hour.

"Nah. Come here." I say patting the bed next to me. He gives me a surprised look and I giggle before scooching over to make room for him. He lays down next to me and I rest my head on his shoulder. He snakes his arm around me and pulls me into him and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"In my dream, Silas was here. He was choking me and saying he wasn't done with me yet." I whisper and Alex growls a little before tightening his hold on me.

"That will never happen. He's gone and I won't let anyone hurt you." He says fiercely and I can see a golden hue to his eyes, showing his wolf is close to the surface.

"You make me feel safe." I murmur and I hear a little rumble in his chest.

"Good. I'll protect you. I protect all of my pack members." He states and my head pops up so I can look at him.

"I'm a pack member? You won't make me leave?" I ask incredulously and he chuckles a little.

"You will be a pack member, after we share blood. No I won't make you leave. We've all grown rather attached to you. Plus I never want to watch a football movie with Jon again." He says as he fake shudders making me giggle.

"Thank you, Alex." I say earnestly before snuggling back into him. He kisses my head gently and I feel my heart patter a little.

"No thanks necessary. But I do need a favor from you." He says, his fingers tracing up and down my arm absentmindenly.

"Oh? And what could the little human do to help the big bad wolf?" I ask and he chuckles at me.

"I have some appointments in town tomorrow. I'd like you to go with me. I don't deal with humans often, it'd be nice to have someone there to keep me from making a fool of myself." I can't help but laugh at that.

"I can just imagine you growling at some poor customer service person." I say still giggling making him laugh with me. I look up into his eyes and am struck with how beautiful they are. I almost can't look away. Until he clears his throat and the spell is broken.

"Yes, well that's what I need you for. To remind me not to growl." He says and I nod into his chest.

"I can do that. As long as we don't take Penny. I can't do another shopping trip, Alex. I just can't." I say with desperation and I can feel his chest shaking with silent laughter.

"No. It'll just be the two of us." He says as he yawns loudly. I burrow in closer to him, thinking on his words.

Just the two of us.

With whatever is happening between us, I'm not entirely sure that's a good idea.

Or I could be over analyzing things. Maybe I'm the only one that feels this attraction. That's more logical than the idea that a beautiful alpha wolf would have any interest in me, a mere mortal.

I'm going to smack Jon for putting these crazy thoughts in my head. That thought puts a smile on my face as my breathing evens out and I slip into sleep next to Alex.